M114 - Commander Richard Smith - Day Two A.M.
From Create Your Own Story
The knock on Commander Smith’s door was answered by the single word, “Enter.” The African-American head of Marcus Newman poked into the room when the door slid open, but the rest of the man remained standing outside. “Lieutenant Faraday said you wanted to see me, Sir.”
“Come in, Newman,” Commander Smith said and turned in his chair to face the man. “I have a six-man Working Party with picks and shovels down at the dig-site giving Professor Grant a hand. Even back in sailing days Captains knew that an idle crew was likely to get in trouble. I have an assignment for you and Able-Bodied Spaceman Latimer.”
“Yes, Sir,” Newman nodded and stood there awaiting his orders. There was not enough space in the Captain’s cabin for a second chair.
“You are a practicing Physician in Civilian Life. There are five bodies buried behind the Professor’s dug-out,” Commander Smith said. “I don’t want to go through the mess and bother of exhuming corpses to perform autopsies. And I really don’t think we have the forensic facilities for cadavers over fifteen years old.” Newman shook his head 'no'. “Latimer is a Computer Tech. I want you two to see what Medical Records might be in the Professor’s computer. See if you can find anything suggesting the causes of deaths.”
“Begging the Captain’s pardon,” Newman replied. “But have you asked the Professor the causes of death?”
Commander Smith tilted his head to one side as he looked up at the big man. “When you practice Medicine, do you base your diagnosis strictly on the symptoms your Patients describe, or do you run independent tests?”
Newton looked down at the deck as he tried to suppress a smile. When he looked back up, he said, “I’ll have a report on your desk by this evening.”
He turned to go but the Captain said, “Oh, one more thing. Like any Medical records, I want this to remain confidential. Latimer will know you are doing this, of course, but do not discuss it with anyone else.”
Although only in the Service for this one voyage, and only with four months of military training (although intense military training), Newman responded by straightening his back and barking, “Aye, aye, Sir!”
